Scarcely had the ceremony begun when Urco appeared at
the head of a number of lords and princes of the Inca blood, who are of
his clan, and I noticed that he was drunk and furious. He advanced to
the foot of the throne, almost without obeisance, and shouted:
"'Where is the lady Quilla, daughter of Huaracha, who is promised to me
in marriage, Inca? Why have you hidden her away, Inca?'
"'Because the Sun, our Father, has claimed her as his bride and has
taken her to dwell in his holy house, where never again may the eyes of
man behold her, Prince!' answered Upanqui.
"'You mean that robbing me, you have taken her for yourself, Inca,'
shouted Urco again.
"Then Upanqui stood up and swore by the Sun that this was not so and
that what he had done was done by the decree of the god and at the
prayer of the lady Quilla, who having seen Urco, had declared that
either she would be wed to the god or die by her own hand, which would
bring the vengeance of the Sun upon the people.
"Then Urco went mad. He raved at the Inca and while all present shivered
with fear, he cursed the Sun our Father, yes, even when a cloud came up
in the clear sky and veiled the face of the god, heedless of the omen,
he continued his curses and blasphemy.
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